I was both pleased and disappointed by this article on health care and Social Security. U.S. Comptroller David M. Walker is awake enough to see problems, but can’t do enough to solve them. This is because Mr. Walker is not politically independent or non-partisan, he is just fiscally conservative. His solutions are that we cannot support our needs by paying what they will cost; we can only cut costs (and services). Raising taxes is a mortal sin.

Refusing to raise money for our desires is like walking into an auto showroom, offering less for the car of your dreams than can be accepted, and then walking away without making any effort to negotiate – and without your dream car. This is an apt analogy, because Americans have clearly exhibited a willingness to pay the price for cars of their dreams, so why not give them that option on health care and retirement support?

Social Security and Medicare’s financial futures can be secured by adjusting today’s premiums. The American medical system can be improved by breaking out of the ideological free-market box, and looking for innovative solutions, not just labeling them unacceptable and rejecting them.

Mr. Walker needs to wake himself up, so that he can provide the educational part of his tour, not just the warning part.

Stephen Fass, Denver

Comptroller David M. Walker is doing the citizenry a tremendous service with his “Fiscal Wakeup Tour.” One can only hope that his willingness to articulate the magnitude of the crises of Social Security, Medicare and the national debt without political bias will awaken American voters to the hypocrisy of most Washington politicians and presidential wanabes. What a sharp contrast Mr. Walker presents to FEMA and so many government officials from both parties.

Rob Fletcher, Castle Rock

Back in the ’30s, the “fiscal conservatives” in the GOP blasted FDR for his “tax and spend” policies. Now, the GOP carries out a program of “borrow and spend.” Totally irresponsible. Tack that on top of the degradation of the environment by the swarms of people and our children will really get it in the neck.

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